I have
a close friend that is serving in the Army, stationed in Germany. He and his family make unbelievable
sacrifices to accommodate the demands of being a military family. His wife made a Facebook post on her husband’s
military responsibilities.
She
said he was a “chaplain’s assistant”.
What
that means, I have never been sure.
I
assumed he was the head chair setter-upper and was in charge of keeping track
of the hymn books.
However,
on Facebook today, his wife commented (and I quote): “He is a chaplain’s assistant, he protects the chaplain. The
chaplain is a noncombatant, so he doesn't carry a gun.”
That brief statement
moved me deeply.
“He is a chaplain’s assistant, he protects the chaplain.”
Can you imagine a higher
calling than protecting God’s messenger?
We live in an age where
the average pastor changes churches about every 7 years. They are considered “expendable”.
But my friend, has
chosen to put his life on the line for his chaplain.
No one can harm his
chaplain without passing through John.
My friend is a combat vet and served his time in battle. So now he is using his military experience
and skills to protect the life of God’s messenger.
Now let me play with
this concept for just a moment:
Hebrews 13:17 NIV
“Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say.
Their work is to watch over your souls,
and they are accountable to God.
Give them reason to do this with joy
and not with sorrow.
That would certainly not be for your benefit.”
According to Hebrews
13:17,
The chaplain’s
responsibility is to watch over John’s soul.And John’s responsibility is to watch over his chaplain’s life.
My respect for John
increased this morning a 100 times over.
And now his name is
written on the top the white-board over my desk, as a reminder to pray for him
every time I lift my eyes from studying.
Psalm
121 NLT
1 I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
5 The Lord
himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
7 The Lord keeps
you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
My husband is the chaplain. John worked with him for two years in Germany, and they would have deployed together, but we were sent back to the US last summer to take another position. I would have trusted Pete's life in John's hands without an ounce of apprehension....and John does so much more - he was a vital part of the ministry team, teaching, leading and working hard at every opportunity. We miss him and his family. His wife worked tirelessly alongside him and invests her time to minister to the families left behind even now. We're proud of them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shane, I am pleased to simply be a servant of servants, and if the I am the least of those than than I count it as success, after all I have come to realize that if you place yourself at the bottom of God’s ladder then you can go nowhere but up to Him. And if God is content to have you hold the ladder from the bottom, then who provides the most stability to those who climb up? For ministry I am happy to brace the leader the holds the bottom of the ladder.
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